Finale: My Version
by chelseabsb93
Summary: So I know most of you did not like the way the finale ended. Well this is my version of how I think things should have gone for some of the characters.
1. Chapter 1

**New Characters: Claire Thornhart (Cole's long lost sister who came to town her sophomore/cole's senior year of high school); Mac Underwood (Claire's boyfriend from back home, still lives there)**

**Alright, so I didn't really like the way they ended OLTL, so this is my version of it. **

**Background info: Ok, so when Claire came to town, she only knew her brother. She quickly became friends with Matthew because she was living with Nora, who was still Cole's guardian. Once school started, she found herself not making friends; especially after they found out she was Cole's brother. The only thing she loved was dirtboarding; so she decided to start a dirtboarding team at school. A lot of kids joined the team, and she kinda talked to them, but her true friends were always Matthew and Destiny. Then once Shane came into the picture, they became very close. She was the one who got him through everything, especially his suicide attempt. Everyone thought they both belonged together, but Claire was very clear that she already had a boyfriend who she loved more than anything on the planet, and that they were just friends. **

**With her brother in prison and both of her parents gone; she treated all her friends like her family. Even though she had started college with Nate at LU, she was always there for her high school family; especially now that her best friends were about to become parents. **

**Story starts in the hospital after Cole was shot. **

-V-

Starr sat by Cole's bedside, not knowing if he was going to live or die. She was so happy to see him open his eyes. He tried to talk, but before he could, Starr cried and said that everything was going to be ok.

"Find…my…sister." Cole managed to say.

"Don't worry, I'll get her." Starr said, hoping seeing Claire would help her love recover.

She called Claire, and as soon as she picked up she knew something was wrong. Starr told Claire what happened and before she could even finish explaining, Claire was there. She ran to her brother, praying for him to recover. She'd already lost her parents; she can't lose her brother too.

"Starr told me what happened. You better get out of here in one piece. I can't lose the brother I just found." Claire said, trying to hold back the tears.

"You won't lose me; not this easily." Cole laughed, "But I do have something to tell you."

"What is it?" Claire asked.

"It's about our parents…they're alive." Cole said

Claire didn't know how to take the news. Could it be true, or was Cole delirious from the pain meds he was on from being shot.

"Dad sent me a letter saying they were alright. Mom has been getting better and her and dad are finally back together. They miss me and want me to go with them." Cole said.

Now she knew it was true. Her parents were alive and out there somewhere. That made her the happiest person ever; her whole family was alive.

"Will you come with me?" Cole asked. "Mom asked about you and said she misses you. When dad found out that you were ok he's been wanting to meet you."

"Cole, I don't know." Claire said. The fact that her family was looking for her was something she always wished for, but with everything going on in Llanview, she had to think about everything she'd be leaving behind.

"Just tell me you'll think about it." Cole pleaded.

"I will, don't worry." She said.

She left the hospital room, running into Destiny on her way out.

"Hey Claire!" Des said, trying to get Claire's attention.

"Oh hey…sorry I'm a little distracted."

"What's going on?" Destiny asked, concerned for her best friend.

"My brother just told me our parents are alive; and together." Claire explained to Des.

"That's good right? I mean even though your mom is a little on the crazy side, no offense. I'm sure being back with your dad is helping her recover."

"Yeah, Cole said she's doing much better. And I'm sorry that you, and the little one almost got shot." Claire said.

"Thanks, luckily Matthew was there to protect me, and our baby…even though neither one of us knew about him or her yet." Des smiled. She loved the protective side of Matthew, and wished he would come back to replace the flaky dead beat dad that was hiding in DC with his brother.

"Cole wants me to go with him to find them." Claire added

"Are you going to?" Des asked.

"I'm not sure yet. I mean I would love to meet my father, and have my family back together."

"So what's stopping you?" Des asked.

"My Llanview family. I can't leave them; when my real family couldn't be there, you all stepped up, and I can't thank you enough for that." Claire said.

Shaun came around the corner and said, "You ready to go Lil D?"

"Yeah." She said, "I'll talk to you later Claire, call me when you make a decision."

The girls hugged and parted ways. Destiny left to return home with Shaun, while Claire headed to Angel Square. When she got there, she saw a very familiar face. She ran into his arms and began crying.

"What are you doing here?" She exclaimed with tears running down her face.

"I heard what happened and I wanted to make sure the love of my life was ok." Mac said.

"I'm fine…but."

"But?" Mac asked, afraid of what might come out of Claire's mouth.

Claire explained everything that happened with her brother and her family. She didn't know what to do and thought Mac might be able to help. He was always the one to help her through everything.

"It sounds like you have a tough decision to make. I always told you to listen to your heart, so what does your heart tell you to do?" Mac asked.

"My heart tells me to keep loving you will all my heart and to never let you go. How does that help me in this decision?" Claire asked.

"It helps me solve the problem for you"

"What do you mean?" Claire asked.

Mac got down on one knee and pulled a velvet box out of his pocket, "Marry me."

"What?" Claire was stunned by his answer to her problem.

"Marry me. Become my wife and move back home with me."

"You know I love you more than anyone in this world, but I'm not sure if I can." Claire said.

Now she had another choice added to her life. She could either go with her brother, marry Mac, or stay in Llanview. This one decision would affect the rest of her life, and only she could make it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok, some parts I'm leaving the same because I liked the way they did it. If it gets kinda choppy just put the other scenes in where they belong and it should make sense. **

Starr and Claire hugged Todd as Mac stormed into Laboule, holding the latest issue of _The Sun_.

"Does someone want to explain this to me?" Mac asked, wondering why Todd would put a bogus story on the front page, "I thought you said your brother was alive?"

Claire looked at Todd, "He's the love of my life. I have to tell him."

Todd nodded and Claire began to explain, "Todd had to run the story so the town would think that Cole died. Now he can go find our parents without being chased down by cops. Actually he just left this morning."

"So you decided not to go with him." Mac said.

"I still haven't decided. He said whenever I make up my mind I can come find them."

"So is there still a chance for us?" Mac asked, holding Claire's hand, staring at the ring he placed on her finger.

Claire looked at Todd, Starr, and the other in the room, "Could you guys give us a minute."

They all left, leaving just Mac and Claire in the foyer. "Actually I wanted to talk to you about that."

Claire took the ring off her finger and placed it in Mac's hand. "You know I love you with all my heart and I would love to marry you, but with everything that's just happened, I can't just pick up and move back to Connecticut. Is there any way that you'll move down here?"

"You know my family needs me. I can't live without them; but I also can't live without you."

"You'll never live without me, not as long as I'm still alive." Claire said.

"But you're not going to move home with me." Mac said.

"When the time is right, I will. Right now, my family needs me, just like your family needs you."

The two shared a final kiss as Mac walked out the door.

-V-

As Starr was about to walk out the door, Claire ran after her. "I just lost my brother and the love of my life. I can't lose my sister too." Claire pleaded.

"I'm not dying." Starr giggled with tears running down her face. "LA isn't that far, and you can call as often as you want."

"It won't be the same as seeing you every day."

"Hey, if you want to see my face you can come visit, and I'll be making a ton of trips back to Llanview." Starr said.

"Alright…" Claire sighed. "But hey if you run into my brother, tell him I said hi."

"I will, I'll be sure to tell him how much you miss him." Starr said as she hugged Claire goodbye.

Claire fell apart in Dani's arms. While the others went back to the living room, Dani and Claire remained seated on the stairs. Then Dani said, "Hey, why don't we go to Roxy's party. Maybe it'll help cheer us up."

The two walked out of Laboule, arm in arm, thinking of all the people who they considered family that would be waiting for them at the party.


	3. Chapter 3

As the group watched the end of Fraternity Row, Destiny knew something wasn't right. She couldn't get comfortable for the last hour. She had some idea of what it was, but tried not to panic.

"Wasn't that a ridiculous ending Lil D?" Shaun asked.

"Yeah it was, but I loved it." Des said, then she grabbed her stomach in pain.

"What's wrong Lil D?" Shaun asked very concerned for his baby sister's wellbeing.

"Can you bring me to the hospital?" Des asked very calmly.

"NOW? You're in labor now?" Shaun started panicking.

"Actually it started about an hour ago."

"Then why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't want to miss the finale of Fraternity Row!" Des said, finally starting to feel the pain of the contractions.

Everyone immediately started rushing around to see what they could do. As Des sat on the couch in pain, knowing going to the hospital probably wasn't going to happen, Shane did the only thing he knew to do, he held her hand. She had gotten him through so many things, and now it was his turn to return the favor.

Matthew came in just as Nora went into the foyer. "What's going on?"

He overheard Nigel asking if they needed anything else to prepare for the birth, "The what?"

Matthew ran over to Des, but was a little shocked when he saw Shane doing what should be his thing. He tapped Shane on the shoulder and said, "Thanks cous, but I think I got it from here."

Shane left Destiny's side, telling her he would not be very far away. Matthew moved as close to Des as he could, putting his arm around her and using his free hand to hold hers. The rest of the family stood back in amazement of Matthew; he finally stepped up.

"I can't believe it!" Des screamed through a contraction.

"What?" Matthew panicked.

"You're actually here!"

"Where else would I be!" Matthew assured Destiny.

He coached her through her next contraction, trying his best to keep her calm, even though he was still scared out of his mind.

"I thought you didn't want this baby! You ran away!" She screamed.

"I was scared."

"So why are you here?"

"My brother…he told me we have to be there for the ones we care about most, and that is you and that is this baby!" Matthew said, gripping Destiny's hand tighter.

At the very next contraction, Viv told Des to start pushing. Minutes later, both Destiny and Matthew let out a sigh of relief when they heard their baby cry for the first time.

"Say hello to your son." Vivian told Matthew and Destiny.

Everyone was in awe over the baby, trying to figure out who he looked like. Then Rex said, "I hate to do this, but I think we need to get going."

Rex, Gigi, and Shane hugged everyone goodbye. Rex and Gigi said congratulations to the new parents, and Shane kissed his new little cousin on the forehead.

"Take care of my new baby cousin." Shane said to Destiny and Matthew.

Dani and Claire entered just as Rex, Gigi, and Shane were about to leave.

"Hey! Where are you guys going?" Claire asked.

"Shane got accepted to a school in Great Britain, so we're moving there." Gigi said.

The news hit Claire like a ton of bricks; first Cole, then Mac, then Starr, and now even Shane was bailing on her. Maybe she should have married Mac, or gone with her brother. As she thought about it, Shane asked his parents and Dani if they could give him some time with Claire.

"Hey, look at me. I want to thank you. You've been the best friend a guy could ask for and if it weren't for you I might not even be alive today." Shane said to Claire.

"But Great Britain…as in England, as in not Pennsylvania, as in not here with me." Claire stated.

"I know it's far, but this is my chance for other people to see the real me; the me that only you know and you helped me become." Shane said.

"I'm gonna miss you so much." Claire said, knowing that what Shane said was true.

"I'm gonna miss you too."

"At least let me give you something to remember me by." Claire said as she hugged Shane.

"You don't have to because I'll never forget you." Shane said.

The two locked eyes and Claire gave him the kiss she had wanted to give him for years. At first, he was shocked, but then he kissed her back with the same passion. They released from their embrace and Shane walked out the door. As she went to see everyone in the living room, she noticed a note and a box that weren't their when she came in. When she picked up the box she knew exactly what it was, but wondered how it got there.


	4. Chapter 4

Claire didn't even bother to read the note. She just stuck it in her purse along with the box as she made her way into the living room. She was stunned when she saw everyone crowded around the new baby.

"Oh…my…god!" She said as she ran right over to see the new little edition to the family.

"Say hi to your new little cousin." Matthew said, holding his son.

As Claire stared at the little bundle of joy, Nora said, "We can't call him the little guy for the next 18 years, so what are we gonna name him?"

Bo joked after getting off the phone with his son, "How about David?"

Everyone stared at him like he was crazy until he explained, "David thinks you should name him after your brother."

"That's not a bad idea." Matthew said.

"Are you serious?" Des asked.

"Yeah, but I was thinking my other brother…Drew."

Both Bo and Nora began to tear up. "I think that's a fine name." Bo said.

"So, Drew Buchanan." Matthew said.

"What about a middle name?" Both Dani and Claire asked.

Matthew and Destiny looked at each other, then back at Drew. Before they could answer, Roxy interrupted.

"How about Dash, after Dash Dunning from Fraternity Row. I mean Frat Row is kinda the reason little Drew got here the way he did." Roxy said.

All the party guests laughed when they realized she was right.

"So it's settled then, my nephew's name is Drew Dashel Buchanan." Shaun said, holding little Drew, who seemed even smaller against Shaun's big build.

"Sounds very distinguished." Nigel said.

"A very distinguished name to go with that very distinguished Buchanan chin." Mrs. Evans added.

Seeing Drew made Claire realize why she let all her loved ones go in the first place. She decided to call her brother and let him know he was an uncle.

-V-

Cole was sitting with Starr, Langston, and Markko in their LA apartment when he heard is phone ring. He picked it up, and was thrilled to hear his sister's voice.

"Hey sis, how's everything in Llanview?" Cole asked.

"Really good actually. I was calling to say congratulations…Uncle Cole."

"Uncle Cole? What are you talking about Claire?" He asked.

Starr overheard and immediately took the phone from Cole's hand, "She had the baby?"

"Who did what?" Lang and Markko asked.

"Destiny just had Matthew's baby!" Starr said as she put the phone on speaker.

"He's so precious…I'm going to text you a picture." Claire said.

Seconds later, the four were staring at the picture of little Drew. They all couldn't believe the two kids they watched grow up, now had a kid themselves. Starr and Cole were reminded of their relationship and how happy they were that they were back together and had Hope.

"Hey Cole, Matthew is here if you wanna give him some words of wisdom from another teen father." Claire said.

"I would love to."

-V-

Claire passed Matthew her cell phone as he gave Drew back to Destiny. He left the room, headed to the foyer so he could hear Cole better.

"Congratulations daddy." Cole said, "How's my little nephew doing?"

"He's doing good for being brought into the world outside of the hospital." Matthew said.

"How are you holding up?" Cole asked.

"I'm a little freaked out and feel like I'm in over my head" Matthew said.

"Don't worry, I felt the same way." Cole reassured him.

"You did, but you seem like a natural."

"I do now, but I was really nervous at first. The first time I ever held a baby was when I held Hope for the first time. But trust me, give it about a week and you'll be a natural too."

"Thanks Cole." Matthew replied, feeling a little better about being a father.

Claire came into the foyer and Matthew gave her the phone back.

"Feeling better?" Claire asked.

"Yeah. Your brother made me realize as long as I love Destiny and Drew I should be fine."

"You love both of them?"

"More than anything in the world!" Matthew said excitedly.

"Then prove it." Claire said as she pulled the velvet box out of her purse.


	5. Chapter 5

**Ok, so in my finale, Clint is no longer on house arrest.**

She gave the box to Matthew, fully knowing what was inside.

"Claire, this is the ring Mac gave you." Matthew was shocked that she gave it to him.

"Yeah, and now I want you to give it to Destiny." Claire said. "You said you loved them, now is your chance to show everyone, especially Des, that you mean it."

The two walked back into the living room, and Matthew sat down right next to Destiny.

"Can I ask you something?" He asked Des.

"You can ask me anything, you know that." Des told him.

"First I want to apologize for being flaky about Drew, and about you. You've always been honest with your feelings for me and it's about time I'm honest with you." Matthew continued, "Destiny Evans, I love you. I've always loved you; I've loved you since the day we met. Now I don't know if you still feel the same way, but I have to ask." He knelt down on one knee and took out the ring, "Will you marry me?"

The group watched in awe. They were all shocked and surprised by what they just heard.

"Are you serious Matthew?" Destiny asked with a look of shock on her face.

"I've never been more serious about anything in my life." Matthew said.

"Then yes, yes I'll marry you." Destiny said, starting to cry. She switched Drew to her other arm so Matthew could put the ring on her finger. He gave her a kiss and then kissed his son on the forehead. As the group celebrated the engagement, another engaged couple walked in with their family.

"We heard this is where the real party is!" Clint said happily. With him came his fiancée Vicki, their daughters, Jessica and Natalie, along with John, Liam, and Ryder.

"Where's my great nephew?" Vicki asked as she saw Matthew and Destiny on the couch.

"Right here Aunt Vicki. Say hello to your great nephew, Drew Dashel Buchanan." Matthew said.

As Destiny passed Drew to her, Vicki noticed the ring on her finger.

"Oh, it looks like love is in the air in this town." Vicki said.

"What are you talking about?" Bo asked Vicki.

"You're brother asked me to marry him…again." She replied.

"And John asked me to marry him." Natalie added.

"Looks like the family is really starting to come together. Asa would be so proud." Nora said.

"And now it looks like we've got another Buchanan for the force." John said, staring at little Drew the same way he looks at Liam.

"Or the next CEO of BE." Clint joked.

"Well either way Drew is going to have some competition." Natalie said.

"Definitely, Liam and Ryder have those jobs for sure." Jessica added.

"Isn't it obvious?" Claire said, "His name explains his future job perfectly."

"So I was right about him being a cop!" John laughed.

"Not exactly." Claire continued, "Drew Buchanan, his initials are DB."

"What does that have to do with his job?" Destiny asked.

"DB…Dirtboard, this little guy is gonna be a pro dirtboarder." Claire said as she played with little Drew. Just then, she remembered the gift she bought for him.

"I can't believe I almost forgot. I got this for the little guy at my last competition." Claire said as she pulled the box out of her purse.

Destiny opened the box and giggled over the gift inside. "Aaww, it's a little LU dirtboard jersey!"

"Thankfully our school colors aren't pink or blue." Claire laughed. "Green is slightly more gender neutral. Now he looks the part, and pretty soon, he'll be able to act the part too!"

"So now his future is officially set in stone." Mr. Evans said.

"Doesn't have to be. My son can become anything…and anyone." Matthew said as he fixed his son's blanket.

"He's right. The important thing is that they are all healthy and happy, and that we're going to have 4 weddings in the near future." Mrs. Evans said.

"4 weddings?" Vicki asked.

Nora explained, "Yeah, there's you and Clint's, Natalie and John's, Destiny and Matthew's, and Claire and Mac's."

"Mac and I aren't getting married." Claire said.

"But I thought he asked you to marry him." Dani said, now finally getting to hold Drew.

"He gave me an ultimatum. He said if I married him I would have to move back to Connecticut, which meant I'd have to leave everyone I love behind." She reached down and rubbed her finger on Drew's cheek, "Especially this little guy."

"So you said no, just because of us." Shaun said.

"Was it ever a question? If I have to choose between anything and my family, I'd choose family." Claire said.

"But we're not your family. Cole, Marty, and Patrick are your family." Bo said.

"You are my family. Nora, you became like a third mother to me when I left my adoptive mother in search of my real mother; and Matthew you became like a brother. In a way each of you has become a member of my family; helping me and supporting me when my real family couldn't."

"And now with little Drew here, we are officially one big, happy family." Mr. Evans said.

Claire decided to get a group picture on her phone to send to her brother. Her whole family, all in one place, it was like a real miracle. She sent the picture to her brother with the caption _perfect family picture, but with a few important members missing_. Minutes later, she received a text from her brother. With the exact same caption, she saw a picture of him, Starr, and Hope with Marty and Patrick." As Claire looked at the picture, she wished she was there, but she knew her family here needed her. Claire went from looking at the picture to looking at everyone gathered around baby Drew. One day, both families would be together again. She put her phone back in her purse and took the note out Mac had left with the ring.

Reading the note finally made everything about her life, and everyone else's, click. Such a short letter made such an incredible impact. **_It always belonged here_**, was all it said, but the message it gave meant so much more.


End file.
